Sheriff: Gang member, accomplice arrested

Tuesday

Jul 2, 2013 at 12:01 AMJul 2, 2013 at 3:54 PM

A local man authorities identified as a gang member faces drug and weapons charges after selling cocaine to a sheriff's office informant and leading authorities on a vehicle chase northeast of Shelby this week, according to the sheriff's office.

Matthew Tessnear / mtessnear@shelbystar.com

A local man authorities identified as a gang member faces drug and weapons charges after selling cocaine to a sheriff's office informant and leading authorities on a vehicle chase northeast of Shelby this week, according to the sheriff's office.

It's at least the third time this year that local law enforcement officers have arrested or charged residents tied to gang activity.

According to the sheriff's office, Brandon Oneil Kirkland, of Yoda Drive in Grover, is a member of the United Blood Nation Gang.

The office reports Kirkland sold crack cocaine to a sheriff’s office informant on Monday in a parking lot of a closed business on North Post Road.

When deputies moved in to make an arrest, Kirkland and Virgil Manuel Baccus, of Shelby, left the lot in a Pontiac Grand Am.

Deputies chased the men through the intersection of North Post and Cherryville roads, where Kirkland threw a loaded 9 mm semiautomatic handgun from the vehicle, according to the sheriff’s office.

About a half mile later, the men stopped their car and were arrested.

Kirkland and Baccus are convicted felons, according to the sheriff’s office.

"It’s another gang member that we’ve been able to arrest," said Sheriff Alan Norman. "We’re going to continue to not only target the drug dealers but also the gang members. Hopefully with the case in question with the gang member, the narcotics and the gun, it will be reviewed by the U.S. attorney’s office to see if it will be federally prosecuted as well."

Other gang-related charges this year

In March, sheriff's office investigators said they cleared more than a dozen home break-in investigations and charged five with ties to a local gang, according to previous Star reports. The crimes occured in the south and southeastern parts of the county.

Norman said the four men and one woman who kicked in doors and stole thousands of dollars worth of items from 14 homes are members of the Bloods gang. He said they were identified as members through intelligence gathering and interviews.

In April, authorities levied additional charges on those alleged gang members in an ongoing investigation.

Local law enforcement officers talked about the gang issue with The Star for a March story.

Norman and Shelby Police Chief Jeff Ledford said gangs have become more prevalent statewide in the past two years.

Ledford said there are two main gangs -- the Bloods and the Crips – in Shelby, with numerous hybrid groups springing up called "sets."

Norman said authorities will continue to combat gang activity.

"It was good hard work on part of the narcotics division and the sheriff’s office in this case Monday," he said. "We consider it successful when we’re able to make a good arrest and no team member of the sheriff’s office is injured. If you are a gang member in Cleveland County, it’s best to disassociate yourself or move to another location."